Southern Moderate African American Issues

Obama, Denzel and Matthew

You know how we like to call a film star by a character’s name for the rest of his life. Matthew Broderick is Ferris Bueller to me forever. If I see him in a mall, I will say, “Ferris, what up.” In that movie, Ferris got away with any and everything while his dumbfounded sister watched with amazement.

Politics and policy is like than sometimes and we the public fail to understand the smooth Ferris-types of the world. Are you Ferris, his right-seeking sister or a gullible member of the supporting cast? Here’s a spoiler: at the end of the day more often than not, Ferris comes out smelling like a rose.

Broderick also starred as a Union officer Colonel Robert Shaw in Glory. I am still ticked that Denzel’s character got whipped for getting shoes. “Ferris, why Denzel can have a pair of shoes. That’s plain nasty.” A guy name Keith from Albany played a freed slave in the movie; I knew him from escorting debutantes in high school. I would have made a much better slave that curly-haired Keith but they would have been whipping me next to Denzel because I would have gotten some shoes and a coat. Kidding aside, General Sherman hated freed slaves following his army and did not like Blacks in general.

I just rewatched that whipping part of Glory and remembered that a Black man is the current president of these United States– only in America. Denzel in movie after movie can have that look on this face that says, “One day.” The rapper Jadakiss had a song with Anthony Hamilton called “Why” in which he walked around saying out loud whatever came to his mind. That was a big mistake in my opinion because you don’t pick public fights with powerful people are you will end up with a FBI file, IRS audit or toe tag. I was grooving to Jadakiss’s flow until I heard “Why Bush knock down the towers…Why Hallie Berry had to let _____ to get an Oscar…why Denzel had to be crooked before he took it.” To be honest, Denzel’s Training Day Oscar was really for his collective body of film work and Russell Crowe’s performance in A Beautiful Mind was better. Yes, I said it—the White dude got robbed like everyone in the Color Purple got robbed on Oscar night.

Jadakiss, rappers and bloggers are free to write what they want but it is silly and wrong to think a modern American president would be involved in an attack or repulsive action. (I said “modern” because, you know, slavery, Trail of Tears.) In the better part of that song, Jadakiss said, “Why it’s a brother up North better than Jordan, didn’t get that break.” I could teach a youth group for an hour off that one line…what happens to a dream deferred…

A Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Do you remember when Andrew Young as an elected leader was expected to attend a traditional dress-up Civil War era ball and he decided to wear a Union uniform rather than the Grey of most attendees. That was a classic smooth move. While writing here, I have sought to make a smooth move by supporting the centrist idea that southerners could come together to improve opportunities for our region. But like Ferris’s sister I was naïve because bickering and conflict is in our DNA. Political parties and race are secondary to the mother’s milk of politics and policy—money. My high school econ teacher told us that he read a book in grad school that traced every major historic event back to money.

People can talk a good game but I for one will publicly state here (like anyone actually reads this stuff) that blogging or political ideas for me boils down to professional opportunities–money–who moved my cheese. Rich fancy folks are going to be rich fancy folks and the rest of us will eat the leftovers or the crumbs if any. Bitterly blogging or seeking the big payback is a toxic way to function in life. Some folks are not in the game because they were not effective when the opportunity presented itself in the past—so goes life.

Last night, I was thinking about the unpleasant nature of my blog writing and for some strange reason my mind turned to Ferris Buller…Matthew Broderick…Matthew, the book in the Bible. While I am relatively weak in my faith, I read Matthew on my cellphone Bible.

Mat 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them. Wow, talk about your timely stuff. I really should have been more attentive in church for the last 40 years. I even backed up and read the Beatitudes because while the Democrats are too free with the checkbook, President Barrack Obama is such good person and I hope he is successful—like I hoped the same for all U.S. presidents. He really needs to hear more moderate/conservatism in his ear. That could come from reasonable Republicans, moderate Democrats or surging third parties. We will see but I plan to change my vibe….and read my cellphone more.

Mat 6:2 When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.

Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

You don’t need to have all the votes to affect an election—go ask Ross Perot and Ralph Nader. Hopefully, the sensible center will use our ability to sway elections to encourage the bitter partisans on both political ends to peacefully come to the table with constructive intentions. I am back sounding like Ferris’s sister because if you are watching for some folks to “change” you will be awaiting a while.

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One of the things that struck me when I watched Denzel’s facial expression, I realized that it’s so important to stay focused on what one’s mission and passion is. When I ran for Mayor of Augusta in 2005, first black woman to run for that office, with three other people in the race. I ultimately received 23% of the vote (placed third out of four people). I ended up endorsing the candidate who didn’t look like me, who had a similar platform and ideology throughout the entire campaign. I didn’t make the decision thinking I would get crucified. But I did. Portions of the black community called me every name, but the child of God. Several black media outlets kept my name plastered on their front page and radio stations for almost a year. Yes, a year. But when you feel, deep in your gut, that you’ve done the righ thing, it doesn’t matter what others think. Sooner or later, for those who persevere, things will turn in your favor. That has happened to me. I stayed the course, I stayed focused, I didn’t cry, I didn’t get angry (disappointed yes, but not angry), and I actually understood. Communication is so critical. And it goes two ways. There were people angry at me and didn’t really know why. And many of them had never met me. After we met, talked, explained my side of the issue, they made 180 degree attitude adjustments. Denzel wasn’t a quitter. I am not a quitter. People who have a passion and mission bigger than themselves are not quitters.

What are people who don’t like me who never met me. If they met me and got to know be I am sure they still won’t like me.

The rapper Foxy Brown had a song that said, “I know you hate me..I know it’s true…If I were you, I would hate me too.”

I am so disappointed that I have dozen of cds and never…never…bought the Dave Matthews Band.

What a cool band with a cool disposition; sorry to hear about their band mate passing before this lastest cd. So, I am in Wal-mart in Tifton buying Brats and Leg Quarters for the cookout and I decided to buy (not lift online) a DMB greatest hits cd. Oh my goodness, what a full and diverse sound…can they do that.

That’s it…when I get some real money, I am buying all of their stuff (like Lizz Wright and Jill Scott…again, buying not stealing online) and when drama comes (and it will come) I am going to sit on my back porch and have a therapeutic DMB experience.

And to the people I know who knew this band rocked this smoothly and never shared that knowledge with me, we are no longer cool.